


Bonus Tracks

by charliechick117



Series: According to You [2]
Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Drug Use, F/M, Underage Drinking, Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-30
Updated: 2019-01-04
Packaged: 2019-09-30 05:51:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,779
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17218211
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/charliechick117/pseuds/charliechick117
Summary: Stolen moments between, before, and after the events of "According to You"Tags updated as I go





	1. I'm Not Okay

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "I'm Not Okay" by My Chemical Romance
> 
> First, I love MCR because I am an emo child at heart and WOW this song! It's also on Taliesin's Percy playlist, so I feel like I had to add it in.
> 
> This is going to be a series of bonus ficlets that take place in this universe in a somewhat chronological order. There's some good stuff ahead, ya'll.
> 
> This chapter does contain some heavy material - including the death of the De Rolo family and Percy's unhealthy coping mechanisms in the aftermath.

Percy tugged his jacket into place, smoothing the buttons down the front and double-checking his cufflinks.  He smoothed back his hair and let out a deep breath.  After months of planning, of watching his father worry himself sick and his mother frantic about the future of their business, things were starting to look up.

The Briarwoods were a wealthy family who had expressed interested in supporting the De Rolo’s and his parents had jumped on it like a starving kitten.  This dinner was merely a polite and friendly way to start business negotiations and Percy was supposed to look his best.

Halfway through his second semester of Whitestone University and Percy was more than his best.  He stood tall, shoulders back and chin held up, confident the way only a De Rolo could be.  Percy knew this because he had been mimicking Julius since before he could walk.

A rapid series of knocks rapped on his door and, before Percy could open it, the twins already burst through.  They looked like a matched set – Oliver in silver and Whitney in gold, shoes shined to a mirror finish.

“They’re almost here!” Whitney exclaimed.  Her cheeks were pink with excitement.  “By the gods I hope this goes well.”

“Of course it will,” Oliver rolled his eyes and tugged at his collar.  “Mom and Dad have never failed before.  Right, Percy?”

“Right,” Percy nodded.  “Let’s hurry along then.  A good first impression is everything.”

Oliver wrinkled his nose.  “You sound like Vesper.”

“Good.”

The three of them left Percy’s room and walked down the grand flight of stairs to the main foyer.  Julius was already there, tall and stately, engaged in conversation with their father.  Percy straightened up a little.  Beside him was Vesper.  She had just flown in from across the country for spring break and only had three hours of rest before the dinner, but she didn’t show it.  Vesper wore a sleek blue dress with rose gold jewelry.  Her hair was piled up with a few curls artfully hanging loose around her face.  Pouting in the corner was Ludwig, hand shoved in his pockets and staring moodily at the ground.

The only one missing was Cassandra.  She was visiting friends and couldn’t make it home for the dinner.  From the foyer, Percy could smell dinner being cooked.  His stomach gave a small rumble of anticipation.

They didn’t have to wait long before the front doors swung open and Lord and Lady Briarwood were escorted in.  They were an intimidating couple, dark haired and fair skinned, wearing red and black.  Lady Briarwood took the lead, graciously thanking them for dinner and promises of a long standing partnership between them.

Other than Ludwig being moody (he was only fifteen after all), dinner went off perfectly.  Vesper and Julius, sitting across from the Briarwoods, were perfect conversationalists and Percy tried to keep track of how they did it.  He made mental notes of the questions Julius asked and the compliments Vesper gave.

“A toast, I believe, is in order,” Lady Briarwood said, lifting up her wine glass.  “To new partnerships!”

“Percy, dear,” his mother leaned in while Lady Briarwood continued to lavish praise on the De Rolo business.  She put a hand on his arm and Percy leaned in closer to catch her whisper.  “I bought a gift for the Briarwoods but I forgot it in the car, could you go fetch it for me?  It’s a large black box in the backseat.”

“Can’t it wait?” Percy asked.

“I’m afraid not,” she shook her head.  “I wanted to give it to them before we sign any official paperwork.  Just be quick and they won’t even notice you’re gone.”

“Yes, Mother,” Percy nodded and quickly snuck away from the table.

The garage was a detached building from the rest of their house and Percy walked quickly to it, punching in the code to open the garage door.  It was growing late and the dusk was soon approaching.  A cool spring breeze blew over the estate and Percy shivered, willing the door to open faster.

He ducked under the door the first chance he could and rubbed his fingers together.  He opened the door to the car and, sitting in the backseat, was a rectangular box with a gold and blue ribbon tied around it.  It wasn’t a heavy box, nor very large, and Percy tucked it under his arm as he left the garage, punching in the code to close the door.

It was surprisingly warmer outside now than it was a moment ago and Percy let out a sigh as wave of warm air washed over him.  He turned back to the house and froze.

His home, the manor he had been born and raised in, was burning.  Flames burst from the windows and smoke billowed towards the sky in a black plume.  He dropped the box and ran.  The fire had completely engulfed the building and Percy had to stop before he could reach the door, the heat of it was far too intense.

Then he was screaming, falling to the ground, tearing through his slacks.

Then nothing.

 

No survivors.  No remains.  The fire burned too hot and too quick.  Percy found himself an orphan with a fourteen year old sister to take care of and the funeral of his entire family to plan.  No bodies meant no need for caskets.  They were practically cremated already.

Arson, they said.  Briarwoods, he countered.  Promises of justice.  Questions from the board.  All Percy could think of was his breathing.  Cassandra looked so broken at the funeral.  An empty casket.  Meaningless words said.  Useless tears shed.

Homeless and alone, Percy left college, left Whitestone, left Cassandra.

 

The alcohol burned.  Percy drank and drank until the burning stopped.  He was in an apartment – couldn’t remember who owned it – drinking in the bathtub.  The shower was still running, the water long since gone cold.  His wet shirt clung to his chest and his hair dripped in his eyes.

He lifted the bottle and downed the last of it, flinging the bottle to the side.  Everything was swimming and his skin felt too hot.  The cool water didn’t help.  It slid off his skin and down the drain and he was burning, burning up like his family –

Nausea welled up and Percy turned his head slightly.  He coughed and his stomach lurched.  Vomit dribbled down his chin, washed away by the shower.  He looked up and let the cool water wash away his tears.

Months since the fire and no closure.  No Briarwoods, no justice.  Just another tragedy.

 

The first time Percy was arrested, he was only locked up overnight – just to sober him up before letting him out again.  The cops had said if he wasn’t a De Rolo, things might have been different, but Percy was let out with only a warning and he stumbled down the streets.

Homeless.  Alone.  Burning.

 

It was summer and Percy stood on the edge of the building.  He lost his glasses weeks ago and had been fighting a headache from the strain on his eyes.  Normally a couple of drinks and joints fixed the problem, but he didn’t have any of it right now.  His steps unconsciously led him to the roof of the tallest building.

The cars looked like toys from this height and Percy couldn’t even see the pedestrians.  It was dusk and the city lights started to flicker on like stars.  Percy closed his eyes and could only see a burning house.

He should have been there.  Percy climbed the railing.  He should have _been there_.  Percy raised up his arms feeling the updraft of the wind.  He should have died in the house.  Not Julius – the next in line to lead the family.  Not Vesper – the brilliant and sophisticated socialite.  Not Oliver and Whitney – the twins with so much potential.  Not Ludwig – still struggling with who he was and who he was going to be.  Not his parents – successful and powerful.

It should have been Percy – the middle of the lot, the black sheep.  He had none of his older siblings’ grace or power, none of the untapped potential of his younger siblings.

Percy bent his knees.

It should have been him.

“Oi!  You better not be jumping!”

Percy whipped his head around.  Behind him was a man, tall and thin, with slick black hair.  He didn’t look scared or nervous, in fact, he looked annoyed and a little bored.

“Excuse me?”

“Every time one of you lot kills yourself off this building, my insurance goes up, so stop it!” the man said.  “Come down and let’s talk.”

Despite himself, Percy stepped away from the edge.

“Good lad, good lad,” the man clapped a hand on Percy’s shoulder.  “Come to my office and we’ll talk this out.”

 

Orthax Enterprise was a small business and the man, Mr. Orthax himself, took Percy into his office and poured him a cup of coffee.

“Anything stronger?” Percy asked.

Mr. Orthax raised an eyebrow.  “A little young, aren’t you?”  He sat down at his desk and gestured to the coffee.  “That’s what you’re getting.  Now, talk.”

Percy took a sip of the coffee and, like a dam that starts to crack before blowing completely open, he told his story.  Piece by piece, the dinner, the Briarwoods, until he came to what he’d been doing the past year and a half, where he completely unloaded.

“Why wallow in self pity when you can get revenge?” Mr. Orthax said.  “Come now, boy, think!  You know who did this to your family, to you, take revenge on the Briarwoods.  Make them pay for what they did to you.  Stop hiding like a coward.”

“But – ”

“No, Percival, you know this is what you need to do.  If you don’t take a stand, who else will?  If the Briarwoods don’t pay for their crime, what else are they going to get away with?”

“I don’t know where to start!”

“Ah, that’s where I come in.”

Mr. Orthax smiled a wide grin and, as he spoke, Percy felt something break through the numbing wall he built from drugs and booze.  For the first time in eighteen months, Percy felt alive again, he felt a purpose, he felt _anger_ and by the gods, the Briarwoods would meet their downfall.

 

Percy was twenty-one when the Briarwoods finally went to prison.  He stood in court and testified.  He watched the court find them guilty of murder and arson and sneered as they were carted off to jail for the rest of their lives.

The settlement was huge, enough to send both Percy and Cassandra back to school and keep the business afloat.  She stayed in Whitestone, intent on becoming the youngest CEO and Percy ran away again.

He spent a year working with Mr. Orthax, learning to manipulate the law to serve his own purposes.  He learned to shoot a gun and how to win a knife fight.  He drank and smoked and got into fights just for the hell of it.

When the nightmares got to be too much, Percy bought sleeping pills and ignored the warning to not mix with alcohol.  Better to die than relive those nightmares – nightmares where he could hear his family screaming, where he watched them die, engulfed by flames with the Briarwoods laughing.

His police record grew.  Minor offenses, DUI’s and bar fights.  Anything to help Percy feel something.  Without revenge guiding him, he didn’t know what to do.  Fueled by anger, he could only lash out to anyone who came too close.

It was while sitting in his jail cell, that Cassandra came to visit and post bail.  He hadn’t seen her since the trial and she looked so much like Vesper it hurt.

“Stop it, Percy,” she snapped.  “You are going to die like this, so stop it!”

“I should be dead,” Percy grumbled.  “I was there, Cassandra.  I should have been in the house when the fire started.  I shouldn’t be here!”

“But you are!” Cassandra said.  “You’re here, Percy.  You’re the only family I have left and I’m not going to lose you too!  Now come on, come home, and let’s fix this.”

Wordlessly, Percy let Cassandra take him home.  The next week he met a therapist and, slowly, started to hope for a future.


	2. Welcome to the Black Parade

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Welcome to the Black Parade" by My Chemical Romance
> 
> I heard this while at work and 1. I love it so much I sing it every time it comes on and 2. I couldn't stop thinking about this AU so here we go!
> 
> I always listen to this song and think of Vax and Molly (I'm just a man, not a hero?! c'mon guys), so it's already a super Critical Role theme song to me??? And now we're just adding Percy into the mix too :)

"Her name was Elaina," Vex said halfway through the drive.

Percy's hands tightened on the steering wheel.  Trinket had long since fallen asleep in the backseat, snoring as the autumn trees passed by.  They were about an hour away from Syngorn and Vex had been silent the entire drive.

"Your mom?" Percy guessed.

Vex nodded and sank deeper into her seat.  Percy reached over and squeezed her leg gently.  She let out a sigh and gripped his hand in hers.  Vex had woken him up early in the morning asking him to drive her to Syngorn.  She had said Vax would meet them there.  Percy hadn't asked any questions, just dutifully packed up Trinket.

"I wish I could remember her more," Vex said.  "She died when Vax and I were kids.  I wish... I wish you got to met her."

"What do you remember?"

"Her smile, the way she laughed," Vex said.  "She wasn't rich and having us didn't help.  But she always took time for us, even though she was working all day.  Some times... some times I feel like she watching over me."  Vex laughed, soft and a little watery.  "Sorry... that sounds stupid."

"Not at all," Percy glanced over at Vex and quickly kissed the back of her hand.  "I hope she's looking out for you."

Vex smiled and scooted over in her seat to lean against Percy.  "Thank you, darling."

 

The cemetery was a small plot of land in the middle of town.  A tall, black iron fence surrounded it and the gate creaked when Percy pushed it open.  The walkways were clean, the grass bright green underneath the yellow and red leaves.  A breeze rattled through the trees and Vex tightened the scarf around her neck.  The gravestones were lined up neatly, some pristine granite, others warn down from years of erosion.  Here and there, Percy saw bouquets of flowers resting on the graves.

He saw Keyleth and Vax before he noticed the grave.  Keyleth had her hair cut recently and it swirled around just above her shoulders in the wind.  She leaned up against Vax, wearing his new favorite leather jacket, beaded braids clicking against each other.  Vex walked up and slid her hand through Vax's arm, looking down at the headstone.  Percy, still holding onto Trinket's leash, followed.

"I couldn't get any flowers," Vax whispered.

"It's okay," Vex reached down and ran her fingers across the top of the stone.  "Mom understands."

Keyleth gave Percy a look from behind the twins' back and he nodded.  He kissed Vex's cheek and stepped away with Trinket, "I'll leave you alone for a moment.  Yell if you need me, darling."

Vex turned her head quickly and gave him a brief kiss on the mouth.  "Thank you."

Taking a step back, Percy walked down the stone path, Keyleth right beside him.

* * *

It didn't take long for Vex to put two and two together.  It was almost spring break and Percy was growing distant, just like the year before.  Vex didn't know a lot about Percy's history, but she knew enough.  She knew he was orphaned and his only surviving family member was his younger sister, Cassandra.  She knew that Percy's family was murdered and, after a couple of years, the Briarwoods were convicted.

Percy didn't say much about those years, always clammed up when Vex tried to pry.  She never pushed it too far, Percy would talk when he was ready, but she did figure some things out.

Like his family was killed over spring break.

Vex had already called Cassandra to make arrangements for them to visit the entire week.  She had their bags packed and Keyleth and Vax promised to look after Trinket.  All that was left was to tell Percy.  Which Vex did by way of leaving their bags out in by the door and the two plane tickets suspiciously visible on Percy's desk.

"Vex, darling," Percy said slowly as he came home.  "Why did you plan a vacation without me?"

"It's not a vacation, Percy," Vex leaned over the couch.  "I know where you go over spring break and, well, I thought I could come along.  As... moral support.  Like you did for me, love."

Vex watched as recognition filled Percy's eyes.  He touched the plane tickets and his shoulders slumped.  "I wouldn't want you to see that side of me.  They're... not good memories."

"I love you, Percy," Vex gripped his wrist.  "No matter what happened.  You've seen me at my worst, and you're still here.  I'm not leaving."

Percy knelt down by the couch until he was nose to nose with Vex.  "Promise?"

"Promise."

 

Cassandra's house was huge.  Three stories with a parlor, library, and foyer, Vex was transfixed at the grand staircase in the entrance for a moment, before collecting herself and following Cassandra to the room she and Percy would be staying at.

"This will be the first time someone else will be visiting them," Cassandra said, leading Vex up the second flight of stairs.  "It'll be nice."

The third floor was mostly open, with a couple of bedrooms, including a master suite that Cassandra led Percy and Vex to.  One wall was almost entirely made of glass and Vex could see out over the entirety of Whitestone.  It almost reminded her of Saundor's house, high above Zadash, but this felt different.  As Percy's arms slid around her waist and he pressed a soft kiss to her shoulder, she knew why.

"Thank you," he said.  "I know I haven't been totally truthful with you, but I appreciate your patience."

"You take as long as you need," Vex leaned closer to Percy's chest, tucking her head underneath his chin.  "You grew up here, didn't you?"

Percy relaxed.  "I did.  My father used to take me downtown when I was a boy.  We'd go to the festivals, watch parades, typical father and son bonding.  He... he taught me to look out for those less fortunate than me.  He reminded me that life doesn't last forever and we just need to make the most of it while we can."  Percy nuzzled against Vex's neck, his arms shaking around her waist.  "I don't think I understood what he was telling me... that I would have to live without him someday."

Vex turned around in Percy's arms.  She pressed her forehead to his, forcing him to look at her.  His eyes, brilliantly blue, were swimming with tears.  She could feel his fingers flexing against the fabric of her shirt.  Vex smiled and gently touched Percy's cheek.  He closed his eyes and let out a shaky breath.

"They may be gone," Vex said.  "But their memory carries on, Percy.  It carries on in you, in Cassandra, in your family business.  Just like my mother's memory is carried on in me and Vax."

Percy leaned forward and kissed her, soft and a little wet.  His hands, quivering slightly, cradled her face like she was the most fragile thing in the world.

"I am so lucky to have you," he whispered against her lips.  "They would have loved you."

 

Vex awkwardly fiddled with the hem of her dress.  She had picked out her best dress, desperately wanting to make a good impression to Percy's family.  It was a navy blue floral pattern that matched her ankle boots and complimented the blue feather pin tucked in her hair.  The Whitestone Cemetery was much larger than the one in Syngorn and Cassandra had arranged for her driver to drop them off.

The mausoleum was a thing of beauty - made of white marble, it shone like a beacon in the bright spring sunshine.  The doors were made of dark wood, with gold trim and frosted windows.  Vex stepped inside behind Percy and shivered.  There were no lights inside, just a window on the left and right to let in the sunlight.  On the far wall was a small shelf with six picture frames, each with a small plaque attached and ceramic vase.

Cassandra stepped up past Vex and quickly put a flower by each frame, whispering as she did, before quickly making her way back out.

"She can never stay for long," Percy explained softly.  "Come on, I'll introduce you."

One by one, Vex was led down the line of Percy's family.  His parents, his two older siblings, the twins, his little brother.  Fredrickstein, Johanna, Julius, Vesper, Oliver, Whitney, Ludwig.  So many lives lost, so young, so full of potential.  The inside of the mausoleum was cold and still, no sound from the outside penetrating the thick marble walls.

"After they died... I lost myself," Percy said, eyes distant.  "I didn't know how to carry on.  They died in a fire and the only reason I lived was because Mother sent me out for a present for the Briarwoods.  By the time I came back... it was too late.  I was lost and angry and I made a lot of bad decisions, Vex.  I met this man, Orthax, who promised me vengeance and I took it.  But after the trial, without revenge to push me forward... I had nowhere to channel my anger and I ended up hurting people to make me feel better."

"Percy..."

"Cassandra saved my life, helped me see a therapist, get my life back in order and I had to leave Whitestone, so I moved to Emon, to start a new life."

"Percival," Vex tugged on his arm and Percy tore his eyes away from the pictures.  His eyes were hollow as he looked at her.  "It's okay, darling.  You're only human, my love, you don't ever need to apologize for your trauma."  She took his hand and pressed it on her side, where even through the fabric of her dress she knew Percy could feel her scars.  "My scars are physical and yours aren't but that doesn't make them any less valid.  You are here, stronger and still alive.  We may be broken, but we're here and we will carry on, for them."

"You're right," Percy stood up a little straighter, his hand in hers gripped a little tighter, the gauntness in his eyes faded slightly.  "You're always right, my dear.  They would have loved you, so much."

"Of course they would," Vex grinned and Percy laughed a little, still damp with tears, but a laugh nonetheless.


End file.
